Day I Fell For The Moon
by evenstar lady
Summary: The Sun and Moon kingdoms have long been at war for centuries. King Ichigo has always thought nothing could be brighter than the Sun in his own kingdom... until he meets the Moon Princess, Rukia. IchiRuki fic, rated M for later.
1. Clash of Two Universe

**Hey guys, I know it's another unexpected new fic from me once again... and this time it is to the IchiRuki pairing, and my 4th IR fic! :D **

**I dedicate this fic to **Rusky**, because her newest art REALLY inspired me to write this fic. She drew an image of Ichigo and Rukia as Sun and Moon royalty, and a story for it just popped up in my head. **Rusky**, I hope if you do read this, that you will enjoy this fic... and thank you for sharing your artistic talent with us! I read the link to your backstory LATE after I finished this chapter... so my ideas might differ slightly from yours but I hope you still find it likeable. :)  
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**Note: I know the moon reflects rays from the sun, but in this fic, the moon itself will have its own light and is its own entity.**

**Warning: IchiRuki AU setting, characterization may differ from Bleach storyline (I don't know, but you're welcome to give me feedback). Slight Ulquihime in coming chapters.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach, but I do this fic.  
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_**~The Sun and the Moon… I glow when you shine on me~**_

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><p>The rulers of the Sun kingdom and the Moon kingdom never saw eye to eye for centuries. The feud started off a very long time ago, at a time so far back that every tomb of that age had been reduced to dust… and very faint memories remain, memories like sand slipping through fingers. It was once when the two kingdoms shared equal power and alliance, with the Sun and Moon controlled by their respective Kings. The people enjoyed abundant happiness and wealth, with the Sun coming up in the day to light up the world, and the Moon to bathe its glow onto the rested at night.<p>

But that was then. This was _now_.

A long time back, the then ruler of the Sun kingdom made a careless remark that the Sun was the most important entity in the two kingdoms and that neither could survive without his power. The Moon King, furious at such a statement, retorted that the Moon was equally as important. The Sun King then challenged the Moon King that his kingdom could never survive without the Sun, thinking his friend would not dare to accept the challenge.

The Moon King did.

The two kingdoms that had been united once, now split into two separate countries without each other as alliance. The Sun kingdom lost the Moon, and the Moon kingdom lost the Sun. The two kingdoms had lands far away from each other, with their respective Kings drawing a magical border line to mark their territory.

The Sun kingdom in the East was bathed all day in sunlight from morning to night, while the Moon kingdom had the Moon's silver rays as light to its people. Day and night became a blurred period to the people of both kingdoms, though in the long run they slowly adapted to the condition and learned to live happily once more.

Over time, the eventual generations even forgot that their ancestors once lived under the sunlight… and fell asleep in the moonlight.

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><p>"Princess Rukia… <em>not again<em>!"

Rukia chuckled as she watched Hinamori throw up her hands in exasperation as she entered the bedroom.

"What?" Rukia asked, even though she knew full well the reason for her beloved handmaiden's expression.

Hinamori pointed at Rukia. "Y-You are going out again!"

"What do you think?" Rukia turned around in front of the mirror. "I thought it would blend in nicely with the festivities today." She smiled at her reflection and looked down at the black-and-blue ankle-length dress with semi-transparent sleeves. Rukia had been working on this dress for a week now despite her dislike for sewing, because she felt she had to dress right for the ceremony.

Hinamori quickly closed the bedroom door and locked it, before hurrying to the other black-haired girl. "I-It looks very pretty, of course. But… you are going to get into trouble if you do this again, Princess!"

Rukia laughed. "I won't. Nii-sama won't be back in the palace till evening, and there's no guarantee that he will even check on me today." She removed the silver crown from her hair. "And it is important that I go to the celebratory dance today, it's the harvesting result of the villagers and their hard work! And I was a part of it, I helped them plant and grow the barley too!"

"Yes." Hinamori nodded, but her eyes were worried. "And you almost got killed in the fire last month, remember? When you sneaked out from the palace to help them contain the fire that was destroying their crops?"

Rukia smiled. "Things happen, Hinamori. Don't be so worried." She patted the handmaiden on the head. "The people even gave me material to make the dress for the ceremony, out of their pocket money! They insisted that I come today, to celebrate their success together... and I can't disappoint them."

"They don't even know who you are, that you are the Princess!" Hinamori replied in frustration.

Rukia stopped at the door, as she threw a dark cloak over her shoulders. "They know I am Rukia… and that is enough already." The young Princess smiled, her violet eyes almost glowing.

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><p>Ichigo yawned slightly as he stared out at the sight in front of him. He was sitting on a throne-like chair on the balcony, as the vast expanse of the Sun kingdom spread out before him. He could see the small houses like miniature boxes on a map, the countless lines of roads, the green orchards and fields of crops, the people moving about like dots… and the furthest edge of his kingdom, where the magical border stopped his Sun rays from penetrating farther… into the dark Moon kingdom.<p>

Ichigo's eyes narrowed.

As long as he could remember, Ichigo had been brought up to bad stories about the other kingdom. There had been many a war waged between the Sun and Moon kingdom, with resulting losses for both parties. Ichigo remembered the dead bodies they carried through the streets, the tears and screams of women and children… and his fear when his own father went to battle.

It was the reason why, despite his dislike for the enemy, that he had not started a war with the Moon kingdom yet. Ichigo knew their current ruler, King Byakuya, ascended the throne much earlier than he did and was probably a more experienced ruler, so he kept a lookout for warning signs of an impending clash and also built up the Sun kingdom's own army.

But despite all this dislike, Ichigo did find the common people of the Moon kingdom a very curious race, and often sneaked out of his own palace to go to the borders. That, and he was also killing two birds by _spying_.

For one, the Sun kingdom did not have many black-haired people and Ichigo was tired of the sight of the standard red, orange or brown locks. Second, the Sun kingdom was warm all day, all year round. On one occasion, Ichigo even tried to mask the Sun rays down with his powers one evening, much to the fury of the Royal counselors. And third, the Sun kingdom naturally did not have a _Moon_. And as ironic as a Sun King was, Ichigo did not find the Moon so bad as portrayed by the stories. The Sun was definitely the best, it was hot and it gave light, it was bright and powerful. But the Moon… on all the secret trips he had made to the Moon Kingdom, he did somewhat enjoy looking at it. Sure, it wasn't as strong as the Sun or even half as bright, but it was pure white with silver glowing rays, with a peaceful air of mystery.

Today was one of the days of his secret trips. He had told his bodyguard, Abarai Renji, that he was not to be disturbed until tomorrow. Ichigo took a last swig of the coffee cup on the table and picked up his red cloak.

_ Time for a drink tonight._

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><p>"It was a very good harvest!" Rukia smiled happily. "Congratulations!"<p>

"We owe it all to you, Miss Rukia! You were always supportive, and very generous with your help!" The men and women all smiled at her. "We hope you like the humble cloth we provided you, though we think the dress looks absolutely beautiful!"

Rukia beamed. "_Arigato_."

She had sneaked out of the palace, with Hinamori's help as usual. Then Rukia had made her way to the local malt house, where they were holding the celebratory dance and dinner. It was warm and bright in the shop hall, and almost all the local villagers were there. They were even providing free malt for the night.

She had met all her friends there, and caught up with all of them. They served her plenty of food and drinks and while the refreshments were humbled, Rukia enjoyed them much more than the food in the palace. Sure, they did not know that she was the Princess, but they knew her, the _real_ Rukia. The Rukia who wasn't confined to rules in the palace, the Rukia who did not have to watch her step every single second of the day… the Rukia she wanted to be. Here, she could laugh loudly, she could burp, she could eat and drink anything she wanted… she could be _herself_. It was the reason why Rukia loved running away from the palace at times.

"Miss Rukia, Miss Rukia!" Rukia smiled as a young boy came up to her and bowed. "A dance, a dance!"

"Dance?" Rukia laughed as she heard the music start up in the hall and several of the men and women formed a circle in the middle. "I don't really dance."

"Please, Nee-san?" The boy smiled happily.

Rukia could not resist the sincere smile of the child. "Okay, fine. But don't laugh." Rukia put down her drink and took the boy's hand, stepping into the circle as the crowd applauded.

"_Miss Rukia is dancing!_"

"_She looks beautiful!_"

The audience started clapping together as one when the dancers all bowed and curtsied to the center of the circle. Then, they linked arms and kicked their feet lightly to the left and right. Rukia did so easily, the dance being one of the traditional ones of the Moon kingdom, and a must for a Princess to learn. She swept her hands gracefully through the air and Tessai, the tall owner of the malt house partnered her for the second phase of the dance. He twirled her and Rukia easily moved across the floor, clapping her hand in time to the movement. She turned back and joined the dancers easily in a circle again.

"And… time for our benefactor, Miss Rukia's dance!" Rukia's eyes widened as Tessai twirled her into the center and the dancers danced around her in a circle. Rukia laughed, unsure of what to do. But as the villagers moved about her, she did the only thing natural to do… and she performed the Moon dance.

The Moon dance was a dance native to the Moon kingdom, and one of the few dances that Rukia loved performing. It was a symbolic dance, and could be performed for congratulatory events, social functions, or for the art itself. It was also a dance that the Moon women dance privately to their beloved.

Rukia was thoroughly enjoying herself. Her steps were light as she danced across the floor, hours and hours of practiced sessions she loved doing under the moon reflected in the grace and elegance of her movements. The crowd watched, almost entranced by her performance.

And as the happiness flowed through Rukia, she began to feel a little tingling in her arms. _No, no, not too happy!_ Rukia thought as she felt her skin become slightly warmer. She looked down and noticed that her arms were almost glowing. Rukia hurriedly took in a deep breath to calm the excitement, and took another look at her hands as she danced.

_ Good. They were back to normal. _

Rukia chanced a look at the general audience. All of them were beaming at her, and she knew they were none the wiser. But as Rukia gracefully danced the final phase of the Moon dance, she suddenly found herself looking at a pair of brown eyes in the crowd. Those eyes belonged to an orange-haired man, who was watching her dance. He was tall, dressed in a white shirt with golden clasps and black pants with brown boots, a red cloak hanging from his shoulders. What caught her attention was that he was not smiling, just watching with a placid expression as he lifted his drink to his mouth. Those eyes were intense as they watched her, with a tinge of curious amber.

Rukia hurriedly looked away.

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><p>Ichigo watched the young woman with mild interest as she danced in the middle of the crowd, dancing as if she did not have a care in the world. Her ebony black hair, as short as it may be, swept across the side of her face like a soft black veil. The dark blue dress contrasted beautifully against her pale skin, the flimsy transparent sleeves only adding to the bareness of the woman's arms.<p>

They had locked eyes for a few seconds in the middle of the dance, but the woman was quick to cut the eye contact off.

Ichigo had gone to the malt house of the Moon kingdom, a shop he often frequented on his secret trips here. The malt was really good, and today they were even serving it free due to a celebration of a recent harvest. It was loud and merry in the malt shop, and then the villagers had started dancing.

And there was a single woman in the shop whom everyone appeared to pay more attention to, because she seemed to be one of the benefactors of the village and a guest of honour at the dance. She was small (almost tiny, by standards of Tessai, the shop owner) but when they led her to the middle of the hall, she danced _wonderfully_.

Through his years as a Prince and King, Ichigo had never seen a single woman in his Sun kingdom… who looked anything like the black-haired girl now dancing in the middle of the hall. He noted that her long arms glowed for a second as she moved them in a graceful arc in front of her… and his curiosity grew.

_ Who was this woman? _

The strains of music started to slow, and Ichigo knew that it was a signal for the dance to come to an end. He watched the petite woman take a graceful curtsy in the middle of the hall as all the dancers did, and the audience heartily applauded the performance. Ichigo himself brought his gloves hands together to clap, his eyes never leaving the girl in the middle.

As he watched, a slight frown crossed the girl's features as she stared at the clock on the wall. Suddenly, she turned toward the left and hurried to a side door.

_ She was leaving so soon? _

In spite of himself, Ichigo put his drink down, flipped some coins onto the table and hurried across the hall to follow in the wake of her footsteps.

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><p>'Oh, damn it!' Rukia thought, as she hurried through the gardens. She had enjoyed too much of the company at the malt house, and forgotten about the time. Nii-sama could be returning to the palace any second now! Rukia quickened her pace as she walked through the garden path. She would not go through the front doors, they would certainly stop her and insist she stayed at the celebration. She would sneak out through the garden and then-<p>

"_Hey_."

Rukia stopped at the unfamiliar male voice, and whirled around. She stared at the orange-haired man standing on the path among the bushes, and instantly recognized him. He had been watching the dance just now… no, rather, he had been watching her. What did he want?

Rukia stared at him suspiciously as he walked forward.

"I really enjoyed your dance in the hall just now. It was some eye-opener." This man spoke in a placid tone, but Rukia could detect a sense of authority about this man. Even in the dark garden, his orange hair was easily the most evident feature of the stranger.

Rukia narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want?" she bluntly asked.

_What an attitude. And just not long ago, I thought she looked pretty decent._ "What's with the hostility?" Ichigo shot back, feeling irritation start to seep through his body. Throughout his years as a Prince and then a King, no one had dared to speak to him that way.

"If you are thinking of getting funny with me right here, I will chop your hands off," Rukia replied, taking a defensive pose.

_Him? Getting funny? With her?_ Ichigo could feel his nostrils flaring in anger. "For your information, woman, I have no intentions of that whatsoever. Considering who I am and where I come from, it is the _other _way around for me when it comes to women." Not that he ever accepted the advances of women in his kingdom, but this midget need not know. "And why would I even?" Ichigo gave the black-haired woman a disdainful stare. "Your arms glow anyway, it's just strange."

Rukia's eyes widened. This man… this man noticed that she had glowed! Only royal blood of the Moon kingdom shared the powers of the Moon, and if this news spread, she could easily be found out! '_If Nii-sama finds out that I was out dancing at a commoners' gathering, rather than spending my time at the palace learning etiquette, he will kill me!_' Rukia thought in a panic. Forgetting her anger, she hurried up to the orange-haired stranger.

"No, I did not glow! You were mistaken!" Rukia almost shouted at him.

Ichigo stared down at the woman, shocked at her outburst. What was wrong with her? _First, she's being all rude, and now she seems almost panicked._ 'Moon kingdom people really are strange,' the young King thought.

"You did glow."

"I did not!"

"Did so."

"Did not!"

"_Shut up_."

Rukia ballooned in anger at the rude words casually spoken by this annoying man. She jabbed a finger in the air at him. "I could have you arrested for your insolence, you… you stupid carrot-haired man!"

Carrot-haired man? _Carrot-haired_? CARROT-HAIRED!

_That's it. He was going to drag this woman back to the Sun kingdom with him, and make her undergo the heaviest state punishment imaginable!_

A gasp interrupted Ichigo's train of evil thoughts, and he turned to the petite woman. She had gasped as a sudden tolling sound echoed in the distance, a tolling sound of a bell to tell time.

As Ichigo watched, the woman started to tuck her skirts into her right hand, in a very unwomanly fashion. Then she was running to the high wall, the wind sweeping against her cheeks. She took a somersault as she neared the structure and easily jumped, landing on all fours like an agile cat on the top.

"H-Hey, where are you running off to?"

"I'm not running off, _Baka_. Unlike you, I actually have important things to do than argue with idiots."

Before Ichigo could retort, Rukia leapt down the wall on the other side.

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><p><em>'Come back so I can kill you' <em>would be an understatement.

The woman could pull all his strings in the worst imaginable ways possible. He had never met anyone like her, he had never come across any woman who acted like she did. She did have confidence and a whole lot of self-esteem... but who did she think she was anyway?

_Okay, cool down. There's no good murdering someone in a foreign country._

Ichigo took a deep breath of the night air and closed his eyes for a second. He looked up at the sky and slowly opened them. The moon was shining brightly, casting beautiful white rays down onto the garden.

_Looks like the Moon is the only beautiful thing about this place._

Suddenly, a loud shout echoed from the malt house."THERE'S AN INTRUDER SOMEWHERE! BASTARD TRIED TO PAY ME WITH SUN COINS! Look, coins! Coins from the Sun kingdom!"

_Whoops. _

Ichigo allowed a smile to curve his lips as he stood in the garden. And then it was his turn to take a running leap to the wall and the young man landed on only two feet without so much as a stumble.

_Midget, you don't know who you are messing with._

After looking up at the Moon for a few more seconds, the young Sun King easily jumped from the wall, and vanished into the night.

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><p><strong>First chapter finished! :)<strong>

**I have a whole plot for this story, which also involves other characters. I can't guarantee though when the next update will be... we will just keep crossing our fingers. :D**

**Thank you for reading, and hope you will review this chapter for me and tell me what you think! :) Feedback and suggestions are welcomed. :)  
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	2. Fateful Meetings

**Back with a second chapter for this IchiRuki fic. I wasn't going to write anything this week but then decided to give a little love to my IchiRuki stories for once. :D A multi-chaptered story for this pairing written by me never lasted more than 2 chapters, so hope it will change with this one. My record's pretty poor though. The last one, 'Fated To Be', lasted two chapters before I took the entire thing down. :(**

**A huge thank-you to all the reviewers of the first chapter, I appreciate every single one and they really do motivate me to keep writing and keep the piece going. :D**

**I have changed the title of this fic, it was originally '_Black Sun, White Moon_' but it is now '_Day I Fell For The Moon_'. I thought it would be more fitting. XD I also integrated some of the Bleach storyline in this AU setting this time. Hope you will like it.**

** DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach or the characters. But hey, I own the plot. ;)  
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><p>"Princess Rukia!" The young handmaiden was almost fainting with relief as Rukia hurried over to her.<p>

"Is Nii-sama back?" Rukia stopped to catch a breath.

"I am not sure. But it is best that we head back to your sleeping chambers, Princess. If he catches us out here, we will be in deep trouble. Come." Hinamori took Rukia's hand and started to lead her to a side door.

"No, no. I know a shortcut, it will be much fast-" Rukia turned around and gasped.

"Princess, what's the mat-" Hinamori turned around and immediately turned pale.

"_N-Nii-sama_," Rukia whispered.

The figure that was standing at the other end of the hallway started to walk toward them. Rukia was frozen as he walked closer, his steps silent and yet elegantly precise. The moonlight filtering in through the glass windows played on the handsome features of the man as he advanced on the princess. His grey misty eyes, the strands of hair that fell over his left eye, his perfect facial features. The silver crown shone slightly as the light caught it, the moon emblem in the middle of it a dark purple.

The King of the Moon kingdom.

He stopped before her, and Rukia felt the air around her suddenly drop in temperature.

"_Rukia_."

"B-Byakuya Nii-sama."

King Byakuya allowed a painful second of silence before he spoke again. "Where were you this evening?"

"M-Me?" Rukia's voice cracked and she hurriedly cleared her throat."I… I was in my roo-" A hard jab from Hinamori behind her told her that it was a death answer. "I… I mean, I was in the dancing halls, practicing."

"Dancing?" Her brother's tone was devoid of emotion, as was his handsome face. Only his grey eyes pierced through her.

"Dancing." Rukia nodded.

_Don't blink. It's now or never. If you can do this, you will have averted lifelong grounding, Rukia. _

The princess knew it was a safe answer. Nii-sama never went to the dancing halls, the place was filled with life and with girls, and her brother was never a fan of the two. Not since his wife, Rukia's sister, passed away.

Byakuya had fallen in love with Hisana, one of the Moon princesses and married her after he had reigned as King for three years. He had loved his Queen very much but the marriage was short-lived, as Hisana succumbed to a chronic illness five years later and left Byakuya widowed. A last message by Hisana was to entrust her search for her long-lost sister to her husband.

Hisana was a true member of the Moon royalty bloodline, though it was a separate one from Byakuya. Many years ago, her mother gave birth to another daughter named Rukia but it was during an unfortunate period of peasant uprising in the state. In the midst of chaos, Hisana, who was entrusted with Rukia's care, lost her sister during the attack. She later confessed to Byakuya that she abandoned her baby sister in a dark corner in a moment of hopelessness. It was the guilt that plagued Hisana her whole life, and something she had brought with into the marriage.

King Byakuya continued the search for the lost princess and found her easily after a year of his wife's death. Rukia looked exactly like Hisana but possessed grit and strength, a result of her independent upbringing among the commoners. It was the reason why she never conformed to the rules of the palace, and was known for her humility and kindness with commoners calling her 'The People's Princess'.

Rukia's relationship with her Nii-sama was a complex, if not, strange one. Her Byakuya Nii-sama had barely spoken to her ever since she was integrated back into royalty. There had been fledgling rumours that the King romantically favoured her and that she was to be married to him when she turned twenty. Rukia had been extremely worried about the matter, but years of living in Nii-sama's household soon made Rukia more relaxed on these worries.

For one, Nii-sama never showed any signs of favour to her (in fact, he never showed any signs of any nature to her). Sometimes, Rukia wondered if she was transparent to him. Two, on top of reason number one, he was extremely cold to her and would only address formal matters to her. Rukia figured that no man would do that to the woman he loved. Three, he never said anything on the marriage business to her and she was already twenty years old this year. Four and this was the most important, she did not romantically like her Nii-sama. Nii-sama was Nii-sama, a handsome cold statue of a brother, a saviour she was often terrified of, and nothing more than that.

Years went by, and he could still _terrify _her.

"I see." Her brother answered coldly. "I can only hope those dancing halls were situated well within palace walls."

Rukia's body twitched slightly. _He knows, damn it, he knows_!

"Hinamori Momo." The deep voice was ominous, and the handmaiden was trembling as she stepped out from behind the princess and bowed. "For your inability to locate the princess in the dancing halls today, you will spend the night standing in the courtyard till dawn tomorrow."

Rukia gasped as Hinamori bowed her head. "W-Wait!"

Byakuya turned back to Rukia but the princess refused to let the cold stare ruffle her.

"I will take the punishment."

"I believe that would not be feasible."

"I… I will take it in my room then, w-with Hinamori! For two days. I will stay in my chambers continuously till dawn the day after!"

Byakuya stayed silent but Rukia refused to back down. After a full minute, the King spoke again. "So be it. Retire now."

"H-Hai. Arigato… Nii-sama. Good night."

"Arigato, Your Majesty."

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><p>"You look really bored, Your Majesty."<p>

Ichigo looked up from polishing his black sword and nodded. "A little, Renji."

The red-haired man walked over to the young King, who was seated at the round marble table. Abarai Renji was King Ichigo's right-hand man, and also a very good friend.

"Maybe you just need the company of the princess Orihime to soothe that fidgeting soul of yours, Your Majesty."

Ever since he was a young prince, Ichigo had been engaged to be married to princess Orihime. Orihime was also a noble and both of them had grown up together since they were little.

"Or perhaps… are you looking for a night out in the Moon kingdom?" Renji hazarded a guess.

"Maybe." Ichigo chuckled.

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><p>"Princess Rukia, you cannot do this!"<p>

"I can't wait here, can I?" Rukia's eyes were wide. "Someone's _dying_!"

"You will get punished again! There's half a day left, you can leave tomorrow!"

Rukia had been unofficially grounded following the events of the night before. The cooks sent the food to her room and she sat with Hinamori in her huge spacious bedroom, trying to bully her attention into the impossible needlework. After half a day, Rukia had given up and started practicing her sword skills instead with her awed handmaiden watching.

Rukia had long enjoyed the physical arts of combat and knew how to wield a sword as a proper swordsman (or in this case, woman). She learned the techniques secretly, watching the guards and her own Nii-sama in the training arena and returned to her room to quietly practice the basic moves she had managed to grasp.

And after a day of grounding that was used for sword training, Rukia was feeling good about the whole thing. Another night would pass and she would be free again.

That was the plan, until her white pigeon delivered an air message to her bedroom that evening. It was a letter from Tessai, the owner of the malt house downtown and the reason Rukia was currently grounded. He wrote of the little girl Riru, whose company Rukia had always enjoyed. Riru had contracted an illness somehow and was in very serious condition. The local physician had prescribed a lot of medicine but none was working. Finally, the old wise man of the village had spoke of an old remedy, a rare herb called the _inochi_, which was known as cure to many strange illnesses.

Knowing Rukia to be resourceful, Tessai had wrote to her to ask for sources of _inochi_. After demanding a mix of botanical and historical books to her bedroom, Rukia soon found out the horrible truth.

The _inochi_ herb was only grown in the Sun kingdom. On top of that, it was a royalty-exclusive herb and was only known to be produced in the Sun King's palace.

But the Moon princess had decided.

"You cannot infiltrate the Sun palace!" Hinamori's eyes were wide with anxiety. "What if you get caught?"

"I won't get caught. Plus, I won't be going alone." Rukia smiled.

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><p>The young, armor-clad man bowed respectfully to Rukia. "Princess." His voice was deep but cold, reminding the princess of her Nii-sama.<p>

"General Ulquiorra, I need to take you on a mission with me."

"That be?"

"I need to go to the Sun kingdom and infiltrate the palace to obtain some herbs." Rukia allowed the impossible statement to hang in the air. The General slowly looked up, even if his facial expression held no shock nor fear.

"That may be out of question, Princess Rukia."

"And which part of it would be?"

"The entire mission."

Rukia bristled slightly. "Why not?"

"It is too dangerous. King Byakuya would not allow it."

"King Byakuya assigned you for my protection. Therefore, where I will go, you will have to follow. And you will not stop me from going to the Sun kingdom." Rukia knew she was pushing the luck with this particular General.

General Ulquiorra was a very cold man, who spent his entire life training his combat skills and killing enemies. This man was lethal but fiercely devoted to the Moon kingdom and so King Byakuya assigned the General to protect Rukia. Through the years, he became one of Rukia's trusted friends, even if he still remained cold and emotionless. He had known too many a time of the mischievous deeds of the Princess, and sometimes the General did go along (or was forced to) with them. General Ulquiorra was also a man of substance, which meant that he did not believe in abstract things such as art… or _love_.

Rukia secretly thought he was _boring_.

"Well, I'm going today, and I would really like your assistance." The princess tried a diplomatic tack this time. "I will not place any blame on your responsibility to protect me, should something happen."

Ulquiorra stayed silent.

"So… will you come along?"

"If I report this to the King, will you still go?"

"I will have to try harder to break a lock or two, but I will still go."

Ulquiorra stayed silent for a bit before finally looking up. "The trail will take us to the Black Forest, Princess Rukia, where a lot of people never returned from. That is where the borders of our kingdom lie. Are you ready?"

* * *

><p>"We are here."<p>

Rukia's eyes widened as she looked ahead of her. They had wandered very deep into the Black Forest, with only the determination to find the cure for Riru's life and Ulquiorra's company to push the young princess ahead.

The Black Forest was a terrifying place, a scary place known to hold monsters and other terrible creatures. There were so many stories of villagers venturing into the unknown woods only never to return, or otherwise return in unequal lifeless pieces. Rukia had wondered if she had enough courage to push on but the thought of Riru sealed her determination. And as they went deeper and deeper into the woods, Rukia began to wonder where all the said monsters were.

In front of them now, a screen of dark liquid-like substance halted their progress. It was like a very strange screen hovering in the middle of the forest which stretched out from left to right in an endless line, and was as high as the sky itself.

"So that's the border right there in front?" Rukia pointed in front of her.

"You see it, Princess?"

Rukia looked up at her General in surprise. "Do you not?"

"No. Only those of royal blood from both kingdoms will ever know the location to the border, as the border is only visible by sight to them. The only way a commoner can get through to the other kingdom is if they mistakenly stumble through the border themselves."

"Which is very rare, as no one dares to venture deep within these dark forests due to all those unpleasant tales." Rukia wrinkled her nose. "That's not very nice of our forefathers to place such lies in history."

"That's ingenuity, to keep both kingdoms unchangeable."

Rukia snorted and looked up at the mysterious magical border. "Have you ever been through to the Sun kingdom, Ulquiorra?"

"Only once."

"You have?" Rukia looked up with wide curious eyes. "Whatever for?"

"It was years ago, when it was necessary to escort King Byakuya over for a certain meeting."

"Oh. Whatever for?"

Ulquiorra kept silent and looked ahead of him, even if he could not see the magical border.

Rukia felt the annoyance seep in her veins. _This man really does not like socializing. Boring General._

"But that's good!" Rukia walked closer to the magical border. "You will at least be prepared to face what lies beyond this thing. Then all we have to do is to break into the Sun King's palace and get a handful of herbs to take back to Riru! Piece of cake."

The young Princess missed the subtly exasperated stare of her General.

_I see the Princess likes wasting her time with impossible rubbish. _

Rukia rubbed her hands excitedly. "So this is the magical border our forefathers have placed over the boundaries of both kingdoms since ages old? I'm about to test it out."

"_Wait_."

Rukia looked back in annoyance at her pale General. "What is it?"

"Allow me to step through first, Princess."

"Now's not really the time for chivalry-" Rukia felt something swiftly sweep past her as Ulquiorra walked easily through the border. He seemed to melt into the screen and alarmed, Rukia reached out with her hand only for her fingers to graze the magical border.

And immediately, she was transported to the other side… to the Sun kingdom.

* * *

><p><em>Such… white… light…<em>

For a moment, Rukia thought she had walked into an explosion somehow. There was something so bright in her eyes, such bright white light burning into her eyes. The young princess shut her eyes tightly before attempting to open them to small slits.

Rukia first registered the landscape around her. It was a forest, and they appeared to be in a small clearing. But what made this forest different from the one they had just left was that it was _brighter_, very much brighter. Rukia raised her head and squinted up at the tree branches above her, where the bright light filtered down to the forest floor.

She gaped at the bright, white circle in the clear blue sky, as cotton-like clouds floated by.

"_T-That's the Sun_?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "It would be best not to look at it directly because it may cause blindness, Princess."

"Wow." Rukia breathed as she stepped out from under the shades of the trees. The young princess stared down at her hands, where the bright sunlight now warmed her skin. It was unlike anything that Rukia had felt before. The air was warmer than any of those warm days in the moon kingdom, and it was thrice as bright.

There really was nothing like it.

"That's the Sun kingdom?" Rukia gasped as they reached the edge of the forest. A glorious landscape of buildings and trees spread out in front of them, all bathed in the warm sunlight.

"Yes." Ulquiorra nodded. '_Enemies_,' he thought but chose not to voice it out to the princess.

"And I'm guessing that is the palace." Rukia pointed to the distance where a monstrous building rose higher than any of his counterparts with multiple turrets and an enormous balcony.

"Yes." _Heart of the enemy._

"Well, let's go get the herb then. There's no time to waste." Rukia easily jumped down the boulder on which she was standing on, almost causing the General a silent heart attack.

She trudged through the dirt path easily, Ulquiorra right beside her.

"How do these people sleep anyway? It's real nice and warm and all, but can they sleep with all the sunlight in their eyes?"

* * *

><p>Rukia was lost. She was lost in the huge foreign castle, in the kingdom of her enemies. Both the princess and general had scaled the stone wall of the palace, and they had sneaked past the guards through a side door. However the hallways all looked similar and soon enough, they were both lost. Ulquiorra had gone through a side door, requesting the young princess to not move from the spot while he looked for possible routes. Rukia had had to hide behind the heavy tapestry twice to avoid some maids and a guard.<p>

The Sun kingdom was rather strange.

The duo had walked past the town and marketplace on the way to the palace, attracting a mild amount of stares. After a while, Rukia had noticed that there were very few dark-haired people around and one of the reasons why both of them stood out. After shoplifting two scarves (since she discovered that they did not have Sun money) and using them to wrap around their head and mouth, it became much easier to navigate their way to the palace.

Now she stood out in the lonely palace hallway, still lost. _Damn, this place is like a maze._

"Oh, are you lost?"

Rukia froze as she heard the feminine voice.

_Okay, okay. Don't panic, Rukia. Improvise, improvise…_

Rukia turned around to see a very beautiful woman standing in front of her.

"O-Oh. Er, good evening." Rukia performed a very uncharacteristic curtsy. _Was this how they did it in the Sun kingdom?_ "I-I... am the new maid in the palace! Nice to meet you!"

The woman, who had seemed taken aback momentarily, responded with a curtsy that seemed both less clumsy and more elegant than the one Rukia had done. "Nice to meet you. I am Princess Orihime. And you are?"

Rukia smiled at the Sun princess. She was really lovely, with long flowing brown hair and very pretty features. Two golden star-shaped hairpins held her long hair on either side of her head. Her dress was pink with semi-transparent sleeves, and fell to the floor. The corset-like bodice of the dress was also pink and showed very ample cleavage. Her eyes were very kind and Rukia found herself immediately liking the princess.

"Ru… Hikari. My name is Hikari." There was no need to expose herself to the Sun kingdom's royalty. What if they knew of a Moon princess called Rukia?

"Oh, Hikari-san." Orihime smiled. "So you are a new maid in the palace?"

Rukia nodded. "This is my first day actually."

"Oh." Orihime nodded knowingly. "You will get accustomed to this place soon enough. Would you like a tour of the kitchen? I have been making a green-bean curry dish with peanut butter since hours ago, for the King. Would you like to stay awhile and try?"

_Green-bean curry dish with peanut butter?_ Just the mere thought of it made Rukia's stomach churn.

"O-Oh, no thanks, Princess Orihime. I was about to go perform my duties."

"Oh I see!" Orihime nodded. "Where are you stationed?"

Rukia smiled as a brilliant thought came to her. "I am in charge of _gardening_."

"Oh. The garden's just ahead over there." Orihime pointed to the left. "You take the second door at the end of the hall and just go left. You will reach a courtyard, take the end door and it will be the gardens."

_Bingo._

"_Arigato_, Princess Orihime."

"You are welcome." Orihime smiled. "You sure you don't want to-

The sound of a heavy door echoed through the hallway.

"_Princess_."

Rukia's eyes widened as she heard Ulquiorra's voice. She had almost forgotten that he had left to determine the location of the royal gardens. And now he was back, just in time for the Sun princess to see him!

* * *

><p>Orihime's eyes widened as she caught sight of the man, who had just stepped out from a side door. He was unlike any man she had ever seen. He was handsome, tall and pale with very black hair. And his eyes were the most piercing, mysterious pair of eyes Orihime had ever seen. They were <em>green<em>, very green like emerald jewels. And then she had heard him speak in his deep cold voice.

_Princess._

Princess? Was he calling for her? But she did not know him at all, did she? She watched his eyes widen slightly as he caught sight of her, but his expression only remained one devoid of emotions.

Orihime stepped forward. "Er, who are-"

The next second, the new maid had leapt in front of her. Orihime only caught sight of Hikari's small hand as a white light shone from it. She heard the words whispered by the young maid.

"_Tsuki no uta… thousands of moons be my witness, stain the grass silver. Your thoughts be vanished, only naught but Sleep beckons."_

And as she listened to those words, Orihime felt a strange buoyancy support her body and her mind became fuzzled. She gasped and put out a hand for support and the young maid caught it.

* * *

><p>"I had to make her tired, she had seen you," Rukia spoke to Ulquiorra as she held onto the weakened Princess.<p>

Ulquiorra said nothing as he walked up to the two princesses.

"Here… take her." Rukia gave Orihime's hands to Ulquiorra, who eyed it coldly. "Hurry!" Rukia made her voice forceful and the young General reached out to support the Sun princess.

"Okay, here's the plan." Rukia addressed Ulquiorra. "I know where the garden is so I'm heading there. You will take the princess to her bedroom, it's not nice to leave her lying out here. We will meet back in the main courtyard where we first came in."

Ulquiorra said nothing but Rukia knew he had caught on every word.

"I will see you. Try not to get caught, Ulquiorra."

* * *

><p>"The room on the third floor, the one painted red?"<p>

"H-Huh?" Orihime blinked confusedly. She blearily registered her surroundings, and that she was being carried by someone. When she looked up at the person, it was the strange man she had just seen appear from a side door. The one with the intense, green eyes.

"Your room." His voice was cold. "You answered me a minute ago that it was on the third floor and is red in colour. Is that right?"

"I… w-who are you? What are you doing? W-Where…"

"It is best not to speak." They stopped before a large wooden door. "Is this your bedroom?"

"I-I… yes. But…" Before Orihime could say anything, Ulquiorra had opened the door and stepped in, carrying her easily.

"You… we… this is not right… a man in the bedroom…" Orihime's vision was cloudy and she could barely notice that Ulquiorra had placed her down on her silk bed. "P-Please…"

"I carry no intention of harm." His calm, cold voice frightened Orihime, but his words strangely made her feel at ease. "You should rest."

Orihime suddenly felt warmth on her face, it seemed like the man was shining something at her, similar to what the black-haired girl had done.

"_Tsuki no uta_… and you will not remember the people nor the events that had transpired within the prior hours…"

"I…" Orihime felt the strange sensation of comfortable buoyancy again. "W-Wait!"

She had realized that the man had turned around, about to leave the room. He stopped, but did not turn back.

"I… What's your name?"

The man stayed silent for a full minute while Orihime battled with her fading consciousness. When she still waited, he finally spoke.

"_Ulquiorra_."

"Ohh…" Orihime smiled faintly. "N-Nice meeting you, Ulquiorra-kun." Her eyelids slowly drooped over as the spell begin to take place. "You have… very… beautiful… eyes."

The last thing she saw was Ulquiorra turning back with those lovely green eyes… before sleep finally overtook the Sun princess.

* * *

><p>It was one of their chaperoned dates again today. Ever since Ichigo had turned twenty-two ('a fitting age of marriage,' the royal counselors had commented), these appointments had been the usual mainstay features of his weekends. The entire royal family was hoping that these weekly meetings would catalyze a love between the young couple and lead to a royal wedding.<p>

Ichigo loved Orihime, he loved her dearly. She was beautiful and gentle, a worthy woman a lot of men would kill for. She was softspoken, cheery almost all of the time, and was kind to both royalty and commoner. He would lay down his life down to protect her…

… but then, so would he do for a lot of other people.

Sometimes, there was that wicked little voice at the back of his head. The voice that would question Ichigo on the nature of his love toward his future betrothed. Ichigo didn't really know much about love but from what he had heard of accounts, it was supposed to be really intense and emotionally powerful. He had seen couples kissing before, and they really differed from moments when he had kissed Orihime (and he had only ever kissed her a total of three times). There was something essential missing, that urgency… that _passion_.

It was what prompted Ichigo to go along with these dates, hoping that the feeling would naturally fall into place. And three years forward, nothing had really changed.

Ichigo liked spending time with Orihime, but it was just that. He didn't look forward to the evenings with her, but neither did he detest them. It was just that, a routine that he had grown accustomed to. Their conversations were polite and rarely heartfelt, and they seldom took interest in the same things which made it all a little difficult. Ichigo could not spar with her in swordplay (then again, females never were allowed to do so), nor could he take her out for hiking in the hills. She was too fragile and feminine for Ichigo to even consider the option. He could perhaps take her horse riding, but Orihime wasn't too skilled in that aspect herself and Ichigo did not feel comfortable enough having his hands around her for hours.

So the young King settled for the evenings spent in the garden as he ate his afternoon tea with his future Queen.

_Speaking of which, where was she?_

* * *

><p>'I'm really sorry, Princess Orihime,' Rukia thought as she crept down the silent walkway. 'I will treat you to meatballs… if we ever meet in a more… <em>favourable<em> circumstance.'

The dark-haired princess peered around the corner of the courtyard and hurriedly ducked behind a stone pillar as a pair of guards walked by. It never really occurred to Rukia how dangerous this mission was, until now. She could easily be caught by the enemy!

_If I get caught and the Sun kingdom escorts me back to Nii-sama's palace with certain conditions, he will kill and bury me! Then he will kill Ulquiorra. And then dig me up and kill me again._

Rukia shook herself out of the frightening thoughts and took a few steps forward. When she was sure that the courtyard was empty, she ran the rest of the distance to a huge wooden door. Pulling on the heavy knob, the young princess opened the door silently and peered out at the surrounding.

_Yes! The garden!_

Rukia grinned as she looked out over the large expanse of green that was the palace gardens. There were so many flower bushes, tall trees, strange plants she had never seen before, and many more botanical wonders.

_The Sun kingdom really is different. Okay, time to get cracking on those herbs. _

Rukia whipped out her brown bag and scissors and grinned. She had memorized the image of the precious herb. Now, she just had to look for-

"_Hoi_."

Rukia froze as she heard the male voice. She had been discovered!

_Okay, Rukia, there's no need to panic. Just tell them that you are lost… or… something. Or that someone blackmailed you to break into the palace. A sob story, about being robbed and this being the only way to save your parents from the bad guys! Kuchiki Rukia, you are a genius!_

Rukia turned around with her theatrical teary face but the improvised script caught on the tip of her tongue as she saw the man who had discovered her.

It was _that _man. That carrot-top from the malt house who told her to shut up!

Rukia's shocked expression immediately changed into an angry one, as did the man's.

"_YOU!_" Both of them spoke at the same time, jabbing their fingers in the air at each other, obvious dislike upon their faces.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here?" Ichigo spoke when the incredible shock had passed over him. He had been searching for Orihime in the gardens before he saw a suspicious-looking figure standing near the bushes. What was more shocking was that the figure was none other than the girl he had met in the Moon kingdom, the one with a loudmouth too big for her own figure. Ichigo decided there and then that the world really was a small place, even if divided into the Sun and Moon regions. She was here... in the palace?<p>

"Well… what are you doing here yourself?" Rukia folded her arms, her tone defensive. "Shouldn't you be offending people down at the malt house?"

"I do other things for a living, you know." Ichigo cocked his eyebrow at the petite girl. "Your turn."

"Well, I…" Rukia hesitated but her eyes immediately widened as she caught sight of the same pair of sentries walking along the garden path. In a flash, she had ducked into the nearest hedge, pulling the rude man with her.

"OIII, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Shhhh… there are guards out there," Rukia whispered angrily. "You don't want to be caught sneaking in the palace, would you?"

The orange-haired man chuckled and Rukia couldn't help feeling a vein in her body twitch in anger. Why was he laughing in such a dangerous situation?

"Well, I would like to know why you are sneaking in the palace then," Ichigo whispered back. "And seeing that I am now crouched in the middle of a horrible hedge with branches poking into my shoulder, I think I deserve an answer."

Rukia looked up at him, weighing her decisions. He might be a bad guy, he might suddenly jump up from the hedge and start shouting to draw attention to them. But then, she did not have Ulquiorra with her now and this man was the only one near enough to help her. If he would, that is.

"Well, I'm searching for something here."

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. "Something?"

"A herb." Rukia nodded. "It's called the _inochi_, and is a herb only native to the Sun kingdom and grown only in the King's palace. So I sneaked into the palace."

"That's pretty impressive, considering the security here. Either that, or the guards are slacking." Ichigo wrinkled his nose. "Why do you need the herb?"

Rukia smirked, proud. "I'm pretty good in stealth. Plus, I brought my Gener- I mean, I brought a friend along. He's in the palace too. We need the herb for my friend, who's dying in the village. She's part of the malt house owner's family."

Ichigo's eyes widened, and then narrowed. "Your male friend better not do anything to the people in this place."

Rukia waved her hand dismissively. "He's a very nice man." Suddenly, she looked at Ichigo suspiciously. "What are _you_ doing here anyway? Don't tell me you are also looking for something?"

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Something like that. My father used to work here. Plus, Sun kingdom is where I come from."

Rukia's eyes widened in shock and Ichigo smirked. "YOU! So…" She lowered her voice. "… you are from the Sun kingdom?"

Ichigo nodded.

Rukia tapped her chin. "I should have known. After all, that colour is way too obvious…" She stared up at his hair and let out a soft laugh.

"Shut up, you midget."

"_You_ shut up, carrot." Rukia shot back, then her eyes widened. "But if you're from the Sun kingdom, you must know about the _inochi_!"

Ichigo nodded. "I even know where it is in this garden."

Rukia gasped and then smiled happily. "Okay. Can you bring me to it?"

"_Wait._" Ichigo raised one hand. "What is in it for me?" The young man smirked.

Rukia, who had been eagerly untying her bag, looked up in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Ichigo smirked at the petite girl. "How about we make a deal? I get you the herbs, and you will promise to be my tour guide in the Moon kingdom whenever I'm over there. And when I say whenever, I mean whenever. If I come at midnight and demand a tour, you have to come out at midnight too."

Rukia crossed her arms slightly. "That sounds like very hard work for a very small plant."

"A very small plant with life-saving properties." Ichigo crossed his own arms. Both of them had almost forgotten that they were uncomfortably crouched in a hedge.

Rukia snorted but then she looked up at him. "I want three of them, then."

Ichigo chuckled. "Three, it is. Deal?"

"Deal." Rukia nodded.

"Okay, let's move out of this horrible place." Ichigo straightened up. Both of them looked left and right along the garden path before Ichigo made a beeline straight for the path on the right. Rukia followed after him, holding her bag in her hands. As they passed a trail of bushes, Ichigo veered left with Rukia close on his heels. He eventually stopped before a small plot of fresh earth. Here, Rukia caught sight of small, greenish plants with wide leaves growing in a cluster.

"_Inochi_!" Her eyes widened in happiness.

"The very same. Hand over your bag."

When three of the precious plants had been placed into Rukia's brown bag, the two figures walked back to the garden path.

"Straight ahead, then down on your left. Second door is a shortcut to the main courtyard, where you will be meeting your friend."

"Thanks a lot!" Rukia smiled as she clutched the bag protectively in her hands. "I will promise you good hospitality when you're over in the Moon kingdom."

"That better be it." Ichigo smiled.

"How will I know when you come over?"

Ichigo shrugged. "You are from the malt house, aren't you? I will tell them to inform you when I am over there."

Rukia hesitated slightly, wondering if she should tell the young man that she wasn't from the malt house but then she decided otherwise. She had always corresponded with the kind owner by pigeon message anyway, so it was alright. "Okay, see you sometime."

Rukia turned around and started to walk back to the palace.

"_Oi_."

Rukia stopped at Ichigo's voice and turned around.

"You didn't tell me your name, midget."

Violet met amber for a silent second.

"It's Rukia. What's yours?"

"Ku… Ichigo. Just Ichigo."

Rukia chuckled. "Well then, _arigato_… Ichigo."

"You are welcome…" Ichigo watched as the petite figure turned away down the garden path. It was absurd… the way she walked so confidently in his own palace. It was really... different.

"… _Rukia_."

* * *

><p><strong>*Tsuki no uta = Song of the Moon<br>**

**Alright, that wraps up the second chapter with a nice IchiRuki meeting and the initial acquainting. :D Gotta grab some sleep now, and apologies if there are any spelling mistakes (do let me know though so I can correct them - it's past 2am here and I'm real sleepy)**

**Please do review this chapter and let me know what you think about it! :D Feedback, opinion, constructive criticism, I welcome them. It help motivates me to write as well. :)  
><strong>


	3. Three Days

**Greetings. :)  
><strong>

**I haven't written any IchiRuki updates in a while, but I am pleased to come out with this update for this fic. Thank you for all the reviews for this fic, really appreciate them. :)**

**In my opinion, IchiRuki is a very difficult pairing to write, their characterizations and bond are difficult to nail and so requires plenty of time and effort to write (and refine). But, when an author manages to do so, it is the most beautiful piece of writing I have read. This is also, regrettably, one of the reasons I shy away from doing IchiRuki works frequently - because it's just so bloody difficult. XD  
><strong>

**Now, I don't have much time on my hands given my real life commitments, but I was recently inspired by someone about IchiRuki so I decided to do some writing. I honestly know this piece of writing still requires much refining (trust me, I do), it feels somewhat rushed to me... but I still wanted to get it out for love of all IchiRuki XD XD  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: Bleach doesn't belong to me. But I own this plot. **

* * *

><p>"What do you mean the Moon Kingdom is building up a threat against us?" Ichigo questioned his trusted advisor, Kisuke Urahara. Urahara was a blond-haired man, a very gifted individual and a proven genius since Ichigo's father, Isshin's time of reign.<p>

"Yes. My secret intel has informed me that King Byakuya may be building up his army in the recent months. More men, and newer deadlier weapons. I heard he has been very active lately. It may be just a precautionary move, but we cannot be sure about this."

"I have tried to spy on the Moon Kingdom last week, but that trip has proven quite unsuccessful. Apparently, King Byakuya keeps his secrets well-guarded." Ishida Uryu nodded. Ishida was the Sun kingdom's greatest archer, and one of the top Generals in command of the royal army… and one of King Ichigo's best friends. "It is very difficult for us to move around in that place, because it is foreign to us and the slightest mistake could draw attention."

"Very difficult to move around…" Ichigo mused, and his subordinates nodded in agreement.

"Unless, of course, that we have someone from the Moon Kingdom who could help us. But we know no one from that place." Abarai Renji replied. "We could send spies, but that might take us some time."

"_Three days_." Ichigo looked up.

"What did you say, my King?" Renji looked up.

"Give me three days," Ichigo smiled, as a brilliant plan slowly took shape in his mind. "I will personally get all the information needed, in just three days."

His advisor and friends exchanged looks of bewilderment.

* * *

><p>Rukia walked quickly toward the malt house, a wrinkled paper clutched tightly in her hand. The particular paper had arrived by pigeon mail this morning to her window in the palace, and bringing a very worrying message.<p>

_** 'Miss Rukia, there is a stranger down here at the malt house, who requests for your presence. He said to tell you 'Inochi'. Tessai**_

Rukia had no doubts who that man was and why he was here… and what he was about to demand from her. After all, weeks before, she had enlisted his help to obtain the _inochi_, priceless life-saving herbs from the Sun kingdom to save one of her people.

She remembered his name. Ichigo.

Rukia walked through the door of the malt house, and looked around in apprehension at the people sitting at tables, or drinking at the counter.

"_Yo_."

And there he was, sitting at the corner table, a dark hood pulled over his unmistakeably bright orange hair. Rukia hurried over to him, and quietly slid into an opposite seat. "What is it? Why are you here?"

As if she did not know the answer already.

"I am here to claim the promise you made me, Miss Rukia. Or did you forget already?" Ichigo smirked in satisfaction. "You promised to be my tour guide whenever I am over in the Moon Kingdom, regardless of time."

Rukia bristled at his arrogance. "Fine. When?"

"Starting tomorrow." Ichigo smiled. "But I would like to stay here for the night, so do get me lodgings here."

Tomorrow? That wasn't so bad, she had time to plan how to get out of the palace. Rukia rolled her eyes, and went to speak to Tessai. After half an hour of arrangements with malt house owner, the petite girl was leading her Sun kingdom guest toward one of the smaller cottages next to the malt house.

"This is where you will be staying for the night, I have settled the fee with Tessai, he's the malt house proprietor. This cottage is his, so try not to mess it up."

Ichigo nodded.

"Where would you like to go for the day trip?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo wrinkled his nose. "Day trip? Hey, I am going to stay here for _three_ days."

Rukia froze. Three… _what_? She whirled around in surprise, Ichigo was wearing that self-satisfied smirk that annoyed her so much. "What do you mean, THREE days?"

"I even brought all my necessities." Ichigo unceremoniously jiggled the enormous bag he had behind him. "I am staying. And you are going bring me around whenever I like."

No one, who was anyone, commanded the Princess of the Moon to do as they like. That was what Rukia wanted to tell the cocky orange-haired bastard, as she marched up to him. He was significantly taller than she was, but she stood straight and glared as hard as she could at him. "I do not take orders from anyone."

The smile on his face got even wider. "Do not forget, an adorable girl in that malt house is still alive because of me."

"Because of the deal I made with you," Rukia retorted.

"A deal which you are going to keep, I presume?" Ichigo cocked his head and smirked at the petite girl. "Unless I am mistaken and Moon people do easily go back on their promises?"

"Do not insult us!" Rukia raised her voice. She was starting to get very frustrated, this foreign man could push all her buttons… in all the wrong places.

"Well, it depends what you are going to do about it." There, it was again. That stupid smirk. For the first time in her life, Rukia felt she could really punch a man with the sole intention of making his nose bleed.

Or at least make it crooked.

* * *

><p>"Princess Rukia, you cannot be serious!" Hinamori's eyes were filled with disbelief.<p>

"I have to, I made a promise and intend to keep it. Moon people do not go back on their words." Rukia stopped, realizing that she had just repeated what that orange-haired fool had said to her near the malt house. Okay, so now even his annoying statements were getting into her mind. Sighing, she shoved more things into her bag with more vengeful force than she had intended to.

"But Princess, you can't! You will get caught!"

Rukia shook her head and stared straight at her faithful handmaiden. "My plan is fool-proof, Hinamori. I will come back to the palace at night, and will be gone early in the day. I have told Nii-sama that I intend to perfect my dancing skills in the isolated halls over the West wing, and have no intention to be disturbed! It will just be for three days." Rukia started to tie her bag close with a string.

"You will be gone for the most of three days, outside of the palace walls… with a stranger!" Hinamori whispered frantically, trying to change her mistress's mind. "Not only that, you will be gone alone, with a man! And heavens forbid, a man from the Sun kingdom!"

Rukia chuckled. "Don't worry, I brought my blade with me. And he only wants to do some sight-seeing."

"You can't be sure of that!" Hinamori shook her head, worried.

Rukia frowned at her handmaiden. While it was true that she barely knew the stranger from the Sun kingdom, Rukia thought him a rather careless, brash person. He might have the build, but he didn't seem like a conniving person… or an overly smart man. He was just… a _fool_.

"I am sure," Rukia spoke, her tone defiant. "So, are you going to help me keep this a secret or what?"

* * *

><p>Rukia walked slowly into the clearing of the little forest just behind the malt house. She had woken up early in the morning, and took up the things she had packed the night before. Checking that the coast was clear, the young princess had then dashed out from her room toward the isolated courtyard leading to the underground stables. Hinamori was going to keep guard over the dancing halls, where she was supposed to be practicing her dancing. Rukia had then rode her trusty horse to the malt house, and had walked to the their designated meeting spot on foot. It was all quiet, apparently the jerk was late.<p>

"_So you do keep your promises_."

Rukia whirled around in surprise and there he was, leaning against a tall tree trunk, his hands folded over his chest. Even his lazy posture annoyed her from far.

"You are late, one and a half hour late, actually." Ichigo cocked his head to one side. "I thought I said we would start at eight."

"I thought a lazy person like you would sleep in," Rukia retorted.

Ichigo shook his head as he walked over to her. In the light of the malt house, she saw that he was dressed in a plain brown shirt over black pants, a dark hood cleverly disguising his orange hair. I'm trying to get used to sleeping here. It's so cold at night, how do you people go to sleep?"

"Still better than sleeping with all that sunlight in your eyes," Rukia muttered.

Rather than a sarcastic reply, she heard him laugh. "Yeah, but at least it's warm at night." Rukia found his laugh rather foreign, but it did not sound bad… on the contrary, it was a rather pleasant sound. She had never heard him laugh, after all, the majority of his expressions always consisted of a scowl or a frown.

"So where are we going?"

"I thought I would take you into town today, you said you wanted to see the city, didn't you?"

"Right I did." Ichigo nodded.

"Well, the town is close by, so we will go on foot."

"You sure your dainty little feet can take all that walking?" Ichigo questioned.

Rukia silently strode past him and down a small path to the right. "Mind you, step over the boulder to your right. The left one has a muddy patch that will pull you right in."

Ichigo did as he was told, and shouted in shock as his right foot immediately sunk into a gunky brown mud patch.

"Oh my, Mister Ichigo! I am so sorry! I forgot… it was the _right_ boulder that would cause you to sink in." This time, her voice came out high-pitched and ladylike. "Can _your_ feet take all that walking?"

Ichigo gritted his teeth as he pulled himself out of the mud patch. The scowl was already back on his face.

* * *

><p>"Here we are… the heart of the Moon kingdom." Rukia smiled as they stepped into the midst of the capital. There were many shops lining the road, and their respective keepers happily shouted out bargains to passing buyers. Ichigo stepped out beside her, looking a little worse for wear. There were loose leaves stuck to his hood, his feet was both muddy. Apparently, the little midget had taken to giving him a hell of a journey after his little remark at her just now.<p>

Ichigo frowned. "Where do the soldiers train?"

"What do you mean?" Rukia raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"I don't know… I expected the road to be filled with military people, actually. Seeing as your King is always prepared for war." Ichigo absently scratched the back of his head.

"Nii… I mean, our King is a very benevolent and noble man. He cares very much for the people, and is peace-loving. He does not value violence."

"Doesn't seem that way…" Ichigo muttered. "Word has it that he's building a strong army for future offence against my people."

Rukia shook her head. "It is true that the King is fortifying the armory, but that is only as precaution against the ruler of the Sun Kingdom. He has no intentions of war."

"And how would you know that?" Ichigo shot back. "You don't know him."

"I... well, you can see it around you." Rukia gestured at the villagers, who were bustling in their everyday activities. "The taxes are low, the people work happily with no oppression. King Byakuya prizes peace above everything else, but if there is one more thing higher… it would be his pride. If the Sun Kingdom chose to attack, he would want to defend his people at all costs."

"Well, the Sun Kingdom wants peace too," Ichigo conceded. "You should see the people of my kingdom, they are happy. I… I mean, the King of Sun Kingdom wants the same."

"And how would you know?" Rukia echoed.

"Same way you know," Ichigo smirked, and received a sharp jab at his waist causing him to wince. For a very small girl, Rukia certainly had very effective offensive tactics.

* * *

><p>The second day, they spent touring the outskirts of the capital. Ichigo learned that there wasn't really any reason to worry about the army of King Byakuya, their drills seemed ordinary and he did not note any unusual shipment of weapons in and out of the barracks in the capital.<p>

And in the midst of it all, there was the short little know-it-all who constantly pestered and annoyed him. But Ichigo found her very knowledgeable, she was very well-read and knew a little about the Sun Kingdom herself. He occasionally found himself trading anecdotes with her about his kingdom, and she listened intently to every single one of them... that is, until he dropped in a sarcastic remark about her kingdom in comparison. The conversation then usually ended in a punch, with Ichigo on the receiving end.

She took him to famous eateries in the Moon kingdom and while he found some of the delicacies foreign, Ichigo did enjoy the desserts of the Moon kingdom.

While she was indeed a trusty host (though not necessarily a gracious one), her art... was an _abomination_. He was first exposed to her "skill" when Rukia excitedly sketched on a piece of paper to show him how to get to one of the restaurants. While he could clearly identify what species they were, her drawings of rabbits and bears were done in such a sickening way that he just had to get out a "Why do your drawings suck so bad?", a question that definitely didn't sit too well with Rukia... or her deadly _knuckles_.

* * *

><p>It was the third day, and today Ichigo would be returning to his Sun kingdom, having seen all the sights she had taken him to see. Rukia did not know why, but as she made her way to the little clearing for the last time, there was this little feeling in her stomach that resembled a tiny sense... of sadness.<p>

Rukia did not understand it, nor the reason why that feeling was even there in the first place.

Maybe it was because he was too noisy, that when she was away from him and in her own place, she felt that it was a little too quiet. Maybe it was because he annoyed her too much, that when she wasn't scolding or reprimanding him, it felt all a little too strange. Maybe it was because when she was not with him, she felt… somewhat _alone_.

Rukia shook her head, confused.

"Bang on time, today. Can't wait for me to get lost, can you?" His familiar voice greeted her, and a smile curled her lips as she saw an identical one on Ichigo's face as he leaned against the same tree.

"You have no idea." Rukia chuckled. "Where do you want to go?"

"Actually, I was thinking about the hills we saw earlier yesterday." Ichigo nodded in the direction of the east. "Thought we could scale the trail today."

Rukia was surprised with his choice of location. "I thought you wanted to see the bustling sights of the city."

Ichigo shrugged. "Change of plans. After all, I have to be back to my kingdom early today."

"Oh." Rukia was unsure of what to say next. But then she brightened and snapped her fingers. "We will take horses there then, that will cut the journey time easily to half."

The petite girl then immediately made a beeline for the stables of the malt house, a disbelieving Ichigo following close behind her. He watched silently as she retrieved a saddle easily and took a black horse from its post. Ichigo walked up next to her and bent down, his hands together. "After you."

Rukia's head jerked to him in surprise. "Whatever for? I have my own horse."

"Your own horse?" Ichigo echoed, his expression of surprise amusing Rukia.

"Oh, were you thinking of riding on one horse there with me? Trying to play gentleman?" Rukia grinned, and then laughed. A slight tinge of pink appeared on Ichigo's complexion but he quickly scowled.

"Suit yourself," Ichigo grumbled.

"What, you think I can't ride a horse?" Ichigo could only watch as the raven-haired girl pulled out a beautiful white horse from the station next to the black horse. She loaded the saddle easily and then jumped up onto her steed with easy grace and agility.

Ichigo could not help the smile that played slightly on his lips then. This woman… is full of surprises.

"First one to reach the hills win, how about that?" Her violet eyes twinkled with excitement as she held the reins expertly in her hand.

"Don't cry when you lose, midget." Ichigo mounted his horse and turned to look at his companion, the same enthusiasm reflected in his brown eyes.

* * *

><p>They rode for hours, basking in the silver glow of the moon and the wind in their ears. Ichigo found himself yet again surprised, Rukia could ride horses well, in fact she was one of the best horse riders he had ever seen. She handled her steed well, picking up speed whenever she wanted to, and always managed to overcome sharp turns on the way up the hill. Her face would split into a childish grin whenever that happened, and Ichigo found himself smiling as he watched her.<p>

That, and he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the petite girl for even one second.

He found Rukia remarkable, a strong and fierce presence unlike any woman he had met before. She was short and loud, and definitely excelled in annoying him more than anybody could in his entire life. A punch, a few sharp words (that made him want to kill her), all accomplished without the slightest fear of consequence. No one could ever make him bow like that… no one, except her.

Rukia easily led them to a spot on the hillside. "Ta-dah!" Rukia grinned as she held up the food she had packed before they had started the journey. "It's rice and seaweed, with a few other dishes. Find a good spot!" She unceremoniously plunked herself down on the soft grass, and started eating.

"And what the hell is this supposed to be?" Ichigo questioned as he stared at the wrapped rice. It was circular in shape with two odd-looking things jutting out at the top. It looked like a face, but Ichigo wasn't sure if he was right.

"I made them all rabbit-shaped." Rukia smiled happily.

"This is…supposed to be _rabbit_-shaped?"

Ichigo's insult to Rukia's artistic pride was answered with a punch to his gut. But the food was good, and they ate in comfortable and content silence. After they were done, both packed the food, knowing it was probably their last meal together. They then walked back toward the trees, where their horses were left.

"Oh… right." Ichigo suddenly fiddled with something in his coat. "Here."

Rukia looked up in surprise as Ichigo offered her his right hand, a pretty amber-coloured stone sitting in his palm.

"What's that?"

"Just take it."

"No, what is it?"

"Well, it won't kill you, and it's not cursed… so it's perfectly safe for the taking." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "It's a special stone from the Sun kingdom." He scowled. "Are you going to take it or what?"

"Oh." Rukia deliberated then she reached out and accepted the little token. "Thank you."

They had reached their horses, and here the leaves were denser in the forest so the moonlight was only faint as it filtered through the trees. "Your kingdom is too dark… needs some colour." Ichigo smirked as the petite girl fingered the bright amber rock.

"My kingdom is beautiful just the way it is," Rukia shot back, but then she turned back to the stone and grinned. "But this thing will definitely remind me of your hair." She said without thinking, and then laughed.

His eyes widened in surprise. And then-

"_Really_?" Ichigo asked, and this time his tone was serious. Rukia looked up at his question, meeting a pair of eyes with the exact shade of the rock she was holding. They were burning with something intense, and Rukia felt her heart skip a beat. Maybe two, but she was too flustered to care. Why was he suddenly staring at her like that?

"W-What? Of course my kingdom is beautiful."

Both of them knew he wasn't referring to that.

"No. The part after that," Ichigo spoke again, and Rukia felt him lean slightly toward her. The laughter had long died on her lips. She realized with a panic that they were standing too close now, but her feet were rooted to the ground as she stared at him, his face inches from her own.

"You said… that it would remind you of _me_," Ichigo continued, his voice soft. His cheeks were dark, Rukia could not be sure if he was blushing, because it was much too dark to see properly. But the heat in her own cheeks were real, certainly not camouflaged well in her pale skin.

"Is that true?" Ichigo's voice was almost a whisper.

"I…" Rukia realized that his face was lowering, as his tone did. Her heart was pounding so loud in her ears, that she wasn't sure she was hearing shouts or fireworks in the distance…

Ichigo's eyes widened suddenly and his head whipped up. It was then that Rukia realized there were indeed people _shouting_ nearby, and many men were running up to them.

"_Protect the Princess_!"

Her violet eyes widened as she recognized guards of the palace, bearing the emblem of the Moon kingdom as they quickly made a defense formation around her and Ichigo. What was happening? Why were the palace guards here?

Ichigo, meanwhile, had whipped out a blade from his side as he faced the newcomers. "Princess?" His voice was confused.

"Protect the Princess!" Four guards ran forth, engaging Ichigo easily in combat. He fought all four, his silver blade glinting in the moonlight. Another two ran up and bowed to Rukia, quickly ushering her away from Ichigo.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo shouted, and disarmed one of the guards immediately, kicking him to the ground. He turned around to face the other three, and Rukia recognized the fierce, determined expression on his face.

"_No_!" Rukia shook her head. "Don't hurt him! He's alright, he's a friend!" She tried to rush forward, but the guards blocked her.

"Surrender now, and you will find that King Byakuya will be merciful to you for the heinous crime of attempting to kidnap the Princess." The head guard addressed Ichigo.

"Princess?" Ichigo's gaze flicked to Rukia once. "She-

"Princess Rukia." The head guard nodded, and the look of realization dawned on Ichigo's face.

He turned to look at Rukia, who was standing behind two guards, unsuccessfully trying to move out from behind them. "_You_ are the Moon Princess?" Ichigo's voice was in disbelief.

"I…" Rukia looked away.

"Why didn't you tell me? No wonder you kept your family name secret!" Ichigo's voice was more annoyed than angry.

It was the tone that did it for Rukia. "Well, you didn't tell me your family name either!" The young princess shouted back angrily, and the two guards looked between them both, suddenly confused.

"You didn't ask!" Ichigo retorted. "Man, so you are related to Byakuya?" He had forgotten momentarily about the enemy guards around him, as she did. The guards just looked between them both, unsure of what to do.

"Don't call my brother like that, so casually!"

"Che. No wonder you have such an attitude... _Princess_." Ichigo smirked.

"Shut up!" Rukia shot back.

"And wonder what is my Lady going to do about it?"

"Y-You!" Rukia spluttered with rage.

It was the head guard who interrupted the heated quarrel. "Surrender now, stranger!"

Ichigo stared at the guard in surprise, as if suddenly noticing the man in front of him for the first time. But then, his expression turned into a lazy smirk.

"I believe I cannot do that. Do relay my best wishes to your King, and do let him know that his little sister has been a gracious tour guide."

Rukia spluttered in anger, as she stood behind the two guards.

The head guard stepped forward and Ichigo grinned. Rukia watched as the blade swung down in an arc, Ichigo effectively disarming the head guard in one stroke.

"Step back," Ichigo nodded. "I do not kill." He suddenly turned to Rukia, who watched him with wide violet eyes.

"So long then…" Ichigo bowed slightly to her. "… Princess Rukia of the Moon kingdom." For a moment, her eyes met his brown ones, and she caught an uncharacteristically soft look in them.

But then that look was gone as he turned and whistled, leaping easily onto his black horse. Rukia could only watch as he rode away in the moonlight.

* * *

><p>"Thank heavens you are back!" Ichigo looked up in surprise as Renji walked down the steps of the Sun palace. The young King removed his cloak and draped it over one arm, refusing the help of an attending servant.<p>

"What is the matter?" Ichigo questioned, not liking the uneasy expression on his friend's face.

"There has been a murder," Renji whispered.

Ichigo looked up, his brown eyes wide, before they narrowed. "Murder?"

Renji nodded, his expression now grim. "A Moon kingdom commoner has killed one of our people."

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you liked it. Please do review this chapter for me, feedback and suggestions welcomed.<br>**

**p/s: Wow, really nice to write some IchiRuki after some time. :D**

**UPDATE (27/7/2014)**

**I just woke up to an extremely rude review on this fic, which I subsequently deleted easily. I considered leaving the review there for all to see but it was just so offensive in language and rude that I found it so distasteful so I got rid of it. It was anonymous of course (as all rude reviews are), because the person didn't have the courage to post it up under an account name. But the beauty of a rude anonymous review is that it allows the author to delete the review with just one click like the rubbish it is.**

**In that review, the person was going on (with extremely colourful language) about why I wasn't updating one of my older ByaRuki fics, and calling me names... and (this is the ONE that really did it) said it was being disrespectful to my readers.**

**Authors do not write FOR readers/reviewers. I have real-like commitments, and most of them involve saving lives of patients. I don't get PAID doing this, I don't get anything out of it. More than three quarters of the people reading my stories don't even review anyway, so am I supposed to get angry? No I don't, because I am sharing and I do it for the love of writing. **

**So do not DEMAND me to update (on top of that, being so offensively rude), like I OWE it to you. I don't owe it to you, who is the one using the time and effort to come up with chapters? It's the authors... you do nothing but leave rude reviews and try to cut their hard-put effort down. SO who's showing who disrespect? **

**Disappointing. **


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